The Definitive Handbook to Waterproof Plywood: Varieties, Benefits, and Pricing

Introduction

Plywood is an extremely popular material to consider when designing yourhome interiors. However, it’s crucial that you understand the different types of plywood available and their benefits and drawbacks.Plywood offers a host of different benefits. The primary one, and also the reason for its immense popularity is that it’s cheaper than solid wood, and yet durable enough to last you years. If you’re looking to usewaterproof plywoodacross your home’s interiors, we’ve got you covered.

In this guide, we take you through the various types ofwaterproof plywoodavailable in the market, their sizes, prices, benefits, and more.

What is Waterproof Plywood?

In simple terms,plywoodis a type of engineered wood that’s made by gluing together multiple “plys” or veneers of wood and bonding them with heat and pressure. The result is a durable alternative to solid wood that can be tailored to meet the specifications of your home’s interiors.

The durability that plywood boasts comes from placing the wood grains of alternating layers at right angles to each other. Now, plywood, particularlywaterproof plywood, comes in various different types and grades and is typically used in spaces that see a great deal of exposure to water. These spaces typically include bathrooms and kitchens.

What is Plywood Used For?

The versatility plywood offers, along with its cheaper price and resistance to warping and shrinking make it incredibly popular inhome interior design. You can use plywood across various elements, including -

• Flooring
• Cabinets
• Wardrobes
• Partitions
• Ceilings, and so on.

What’s more,waterproof plywoodcan also be a great material to use for decorative elements, such as arches, panelling, and cladding.

What are the Best Types of Plywood for Home Interiors?

There are several different types of plywood available in India, each with its own qualities and pros and cons. They’re differentiated based on the kind of wood used to make them, along with their application and the overall process.

Regardless of all these varieties, however, there are three primary types of plywood that are commonly used in home interiors. These include-

• MR – Moisture Resistant Plywood
• BWR – Boiling Water Resistant Plywood
• BWP– Boiling Water Proof Plywood

In the forthcoming sections, we take a look at some of the most popular types of plywood that you can consider using across your full home interiors.

MR – Moisture Resistant Plywood

What local vendors often call “commercial ply,” MR is the ideal type of waterproof plywood for homes in humid conditions. They offer good resistance to moisture, making them a popular choice for use in home interiors.

The resin used to make MR sheets is urea formaldehyde, which is the key element in making it resistant to water or dampness. To put it specifically, it can withstand being exposed to water at 60°C for up to three hours.

BWR – Boiling Water Resistant Plywood

Boiling Water Resistant sheets are a brilliant choice both for your home’s interiors and exteriors. In fact, their exceptional resistance to moisture makes them perfect for cabinets in spaces like kitchens and bathrooms. However, you can also use them for your TV cabinet, for example, particularly if you want a more durable material.

The key reason for its popularity is that it’s resistant to boiling water for a period of up to 8 hours. If you intend to use BWR for your home’s exteriors, you can use it for your wall cladding or even on your staircases. Its resistance to water makes it an incredibly durable option to consider.

BWP – Boiling Water Proof

Boiling Water Proof plywood, Marine Ply, which withstands exposure to boiling water for up to 72 hours, is also commonly referred to as Marine Ply.As a result, this grade often finds use in industries that tend to have higher exposure to water.

Since BWR typically offers all the water resistance needed in a residential setting, marine ply typically doesn’t need to be used in home interiors. However, if you want to be stress-free about your home interiors, particularly in spaces like your kitchen and bathroom, you can still choose to use this type.

Flexible Waterproof Plywood

As its name suggests, FlexibleWaterproof Plywoodis a type of waterproof plywood that can be bent without breaking. As a result, this makes it ideal for statement pieces that have unique designs or structures. While you can use them across unique pieces of furniture, you can also use them in doorways, particularly if you want to play around with arches.

Hard Plywood

People commonly use hard plywood across pieces that require a sturdy material. Its core material comprises the wood of trees like mahogany and red maple. Its solid structure and immense durability make it the ideal choice for use on floors or in transportation containers, making it a pricier option when compared to the other, more commercially used options.

Soft Plywood

Soft plywood, made from trees like Douglas, fir, or maple trees, is perfect for countertops, cupboard exteriors, and floors, unlike hard plywood. Alternatively, one can use it as a material for fencing. They’re comparatively less expensive when compared to hard plywood, making them affordable to replace after a few years of wear and tear.

How to Select the Right Plywood for Your Needs

Aside from the categories mentioned above, there are several other factors that play a crucial role in choosing the right plywood for your home interiors. These include the thickness of the plywood, its grades, and the size required. We discuss each factor in greater detail below.

Thickness

The term “ply” refers to a layer, and it refers to how thick a sheet of plywood is. The more the ply, the thicker the board, resulting in greater durability. Typically, the minimum thickness you can find is 3-ply, which is the thinnest grade. The most common thicknesses include -

• 3-ply– 3-ply plywood is typically anywhere between 2-3mm thick and is also most commonly used in home interiors.
• 5-ply– 5-ply plywood sheets are typically 4mm thick and are also relatively popular in home interiors. It’s also ideal for both indoor and outdoor furniture.
• Multi-ply– Multi-ply plywood typically comes with 7 or more layers, making it the most durable variety you can find. They’re perfect for furniture and for structural elements like roofing.

Grades

Waterproof plywoodsheets often come in a variety of grades that determine their overall quality and appearance. They also play a crucial role in determining the prices of plywood sheets, as a result. The most common grades available are mentioned below -

• A grade– A-grade plywood is best used for pieces like cabinets and other such furniture. It has the least number of defects and has a smooth, sanded surface. As a result, this is also the most expensive grade you can find.
• B-grade– B-grade plywood is rather similar to A-grade plywood. However, the only difference is that it might have a few knots, and the defects can be up to 1 inch long.
• C-grade– C-grade plywood is typically unsanded and can come with some minor defects such as discolouration. Users can utilize them with laminates, typically finding them ideal for pieces where appearance isn't crucial.
• D-grade– D-grade plywood is rather similar to C-grade plywood and typically has some snags and defects that have not been repaired. As a result, this is the cheapest grade ofwaterproof plywoodyou can typically find.

Sizes

Plywood sheets are typically available in a few standard sizes, making it easy for you to procure them based on your requirements. The most popular dimensions you can find plywood sheets in are 4 x 8 ft. However, another common alternative is 7 x 4 ft.

In terms of thickness, plywood sheets typically come in a thickness of 18mm, but you can also get them in others such as 16mm, 12mm, 8mm, and 6mm.

In Conclusion

Choosing the rightwaterproof plywoodfor your home interiors can be challenging, especially since they're available in various different grades, thicknesses, and qualities. However, this is whereBonito Designscan help you. As India’s only ISO-certified full home interior brand, we ensure the use of the best materials for every part of your home interior.

We ensure tailored perfection and ultimate durability by conducting 7 stages of key quality checks and over 400 tests on every element.

If you want to know more, give us a call and schedule a visit to our Experience Centre to find out how we weave magic with our 10+ years of experience.